1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to distinguishing the physical location of users of a system coupled to a network such as the Internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Companies who provide services over the Internet have an interest in determining with some certainty where individuals who use such services are geographically located. Users may have use preferences based on their location, and service providers can tailor service offerings based on location. In addition, providers may be concerned about providing services to regions where revenue generation is limited. In addition, legal restrictions on the types of services which may be provided to particular countries may exist.
While many service providers may simply ask users to specify their location, many providers would like to verify the user location in order to reduce risk. Additionally, providers can choose to reward users who correctly specify their location and/or penalize dishonest users. Hence, a system for independently determining the geographical location of a user would be useful.